Madrid v Atlético: All you need to know about Saturday's derby

Real Madrid host a massive capital derby on Saturday, trying to preserve a two-point lead at the top of the Liga, with Atlético eager to make amends after a 3-0 loss to the Merengues in November.

Headline figures
• Madrid have won 86 of their 159 Liga derbies against Atlético to date

• It is all square over the last ten Liga derbies between these sides, with four wins each and two draws.

• Top Liga scorers this season:
Real Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo (19)
Atlético: Antoine Griezmann (14)

What's at stake
• Real Madrid have long claimed to be the biggest team in the capital, if not Spain itself, and their 11 European Cups and 32 league titles are hard to argue with, but Atlético will argue they have the city's most loyal supporters.

• Atlético failed to win a derby between 2000 and 2012, Madrid delighting in their dominance; one banner brought to the game read: "Wanted: a proper rival for a dignified derby."

• Will Real Madrid win another UEFA Champions League this season?
• Is it Atlético's turn to shine in 2016/17?

• Atlético ended their hoodoo by beating the Merengues in the 2013 Copa del Rey final – at the Santiago Bernabéu of all places – and have had the upper hand since, winning four of the last seven Liga derbies. Real Madrid, however, defeated Atlético in the 2014 and 2016 UEFA Champions League finals and knocked them out in the quarter-finals in 2015.

• Madrid could do with a repeat of their 3-0 victory over Atleti at the Vicente Calderón in November as they look to preserve a two-point cushion over Barcelona at the top of the table to stay on track for a first championship since 2012.

• Atleti are ten points behind and focused on consolidating third but, having won the league more recently than their illustrious neighbours, they would love to wreck the Blancos' title plans

What to expect
• Both teams are in scorching form, each winning their last five Liga fixtures. Simeone's men have conceded just once in their last six games in all competitions, whereas Madrid have relied on their attack to bail out a less solid defence which has kept two clean sheets in ten matches.

• Colchoneros captain Gabi will attempt to keep an eye on Luka Modrić, while Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale have a task on their hands trying to get past the Atletico back line marshalled by Diego Godín.

• Is Atlético's Diego Godín the world's best defender?

Predicted line-ups
Real Madrid: Navas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Kroos, Casemiro, Modrić; Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo.
Out: Varane (hamstring)

Atlético: Oblak; Juanfran, Savic, Godin, Filipe Luis; Koke, Gabi, Saúl Ñiguez, Carrasco; Griezmann, Torres.
Out: Moyà (hamstring), Vrsaljko (knee), Tiago (knee), Gameiro (adductor), Augusto Fernández (knee), Gaitán (foot)

They say
"We are playing great, we're in good form and feeling strong mentally after a great run of wins, and we can't wait to play this game."
Nacho, Real Madrid defender

"They were better than us [when Real won 3-0 at Atlético in November] but this is another story. I hope we can continue our great run and get something positive, although we know it'll be difficult because they are top and are having an incredible season."
Juanfran, Atlético defender